Increasingly, a high school diploma doesn't cut it in today's workforce.

In fact, of the higher-paying positions that have streamed back into the labor market since 2010, 97 percent have gone to college graduates, according to a report from the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University.

Despite the potential rewards of a university degree, college can still leave students weighed down by debt, which is especially problematic for those who end up dropping out or defaulting on loans. Prospective students looking to find the best fit and minimize those risks can turn to the 2016 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings, released today.

The 2016 edition includes data on nearly 1,800 colleges and universities, including statistics on borrowing, costs and graduation rates. The rankings measure the strength of the academic programs at undergraduate institutions, with eligible schools ranked on up to 16 measures of academic excellence.

National Liberal Arts Colleges, which focus on undergraduate education and award at least 50 percent of their degrees in fields such as economics, English or sociology, saw no change among the top three.

For students looking to dive deeper into the rankings, U.S. News evaluates schools on more specific measures of quality and cost.

A new category in the 2016 rankings is Most Innovative Schools. These institutions are making innovative improvements in terms of campus life, curriculum, facilities, faculty, students or technology, with inclusion based on feedback from college presidents, provosts and admissions deans.

​Since college cost is a major concern for families, the rankings of Best Value Schools show which colleges give the most academic bang for your buck. Amherst topped the list of National Liberal Arts Colleges, while Princeton ranked highest among National Universities. Regional Colleges offering the most value include College of the Ozarks​ in Missouri and New York's Cooper Union,​ which both heavily subsidize tuition and fees for eligible students.​

Students with less-than-stellar academic records who want to attend a top-notch school can look to A-plus Schools for B Students. Among these schools, which accept students with modest report cards but rank highly among the 2016 Best Colleges, California's Pepperdine University ​tops the list of National Universities. Skidmore College in New York is the highest-ranked A-plus School for B Students among National Liberal Arts Colleges.

To round out the nearly 50 types of numerical rankings and lists, U.S. News publishes a wealth of data on each school's online profile page, including information about academic programs, admissions and cost. Schools report the bulk of the information directly to U.S. News in an extensive questionnaire.
Looking for full rankings information? Access the U.S. News College Compass to find all published data points, including student debt and employment statistics.​